As you sip your morning coffee and scroll through your Facebook newsfeed, a post occasionally catches your eye, but what’s the secret?

With increasing popularity, standing out on social media can be difficult. Capturing a reader’s attention as he scrolls down his newsfeed can give you only a portion of a second to leave the perfect impression.

Step #1 – Keep it visual

Posts with photos or videos are much more likely to leave a lasting impression on your audience. Facebook posts with photos have an 87% interaction rate, while posts of any other type received 4% or less according to Social Media Examiner.

Photos not only grab the attention of your reader, but they also hold it longer.

Step#2 – Pick the perfect launch time for your post

Timing really is everything! Be sure to post when your readers are most likely looking at their phone, tablet or computer.

According to Business Insider, optimal times to post on Facebook are Thursday and Friday, specifically between 1-3p.m. Posts made at times that aren’t convenient for the reader typically sink to the bottom of the pile and stay there without much interaction.

If you are feeling a little overwhelmed, certain companies such as Hootsuite and Crowdbooster have social media platforms that can help you easily schedule your posts and moderate several social media sites at once.

Step #3 – Interact with your audience

Ask a question or play an interactive game through your post. Be sure to keep interacting with friends in the comments of the post as well.

Keeping your audience interested in your content makes them anticipate your posts and follow your activity more closely. Who doesn’t love a fun contest or silly joke? Be appropriate and mindful of your content but have some fun with your posts.

Services like Klout and Sprout Social can help you analyze your social media performance and offer you some metrics and data on areas to improve engagement.

Step #4 – Be brief

Posts with 80 characters or less receive 66% higher engagement according to jeffbullas.com.

As Facebook confirms when regarding best practices, social media users are prone to scan posts quickly. It is best for posts to be timely and relevant, especially when concerning current events. Do your audience a favor and present news about yourself or your organization in a way that allows them to stay up-to-date on top of their busy schedule.

Conclusion

In order to make an impact on social media, remember to catch your follower’s attention with a strong visual.

Schedule your posts for times that optimize your reach, and be sure the message is concise so that it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. Most importantly, have fun! Interact with your audience, and use social media as a tool to express yourself or your brand.